triad foodies
EAT IT!
Bandito Bodega’s brick-and-mortar exceeds expectations
W
hen I first drove by Bandito Bodega, I almost missed it. Their sign was hardly indicative of what was inside, but the line of customers flowing into the parking lot made it clear that it was something I needed to try. After doing some research, I found out Bandito Bodega was a brick-and-mortar location (1609 W. Friendly Ave.) for “one of Greensboro’s favorite food trucks” according to their website, and not Jennifer Zeleski one of the small-grocery stores I have found on the corners of New York City. I decided to recruit my Dad to try it with me, conContributor sidering he’s a sucker for a good local restaurant if it means he gets to order something spicy. It didn’t take much convincing after I rambled on about how their Asian and Mexican combination style made them unique, with a menu that placed gyoza and steak cold noodles next to the affectionately named “big ass burrito” and a twist on a Southern-classic, the bacon-collard quesadilla. The interior was surprisingly simple and casual, and the view into the kitchen upon entering made it feel eerily similar to ordering from a food truck. The teal walls and tattoo-inspired art made me reminiscent of summer. But aside from the decor, the smell was tantalizing, and I was overwhelmed by the variety of options that crossed food cultures seamlessly. I decided on two tacos — even though it wasn’t a Tuesday — one Baja and one Asian, both with chicken. The Baja taco featured more traditional taco toppings like pico de gallo, black beans and corn, radish, cilantro and chipotle crema. In contrast, the Asian taco featured a Korean soy glaze, red cabbage, bean sprouts, radish, jalapeño and a Thai peanut sauce. It was the easiest order I could get that satisfied my craving for Asian and Mexican cuisine, and I was thrilled that there was finally a place that could do both. My dad ordered one of the daily specials, the crispy pork bowl filled with braised pork, sticky rice, five-pepper cream sauce, cucumber salsa and sautéed cabbage. For good measure, we decided to share their chips, salsa and guacamole. Despite being cradled in white parchment paper when they arrived at the table, I knew the tacos were going to get messy. I decided to try the Baja taco first, hoping that a fork wouldn’t be necessary. The chicken was tender and flavorful with a slight spice, and for someone who doesn’t care for black beans, I didn’t mind them. Sadly, I didn’t taste much of the
8 YES! WEEKLY
FEBRUARY 21-27, 2018
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